A WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNINGTHROUGH LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

* TIMING: RAIN SHOULD BEGIN CHANGING OVER TO FREEZING RAIN... SLEET AND SNOW FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST LATE TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE CHANGEOVER TO SLEET AND SNOW MAY NOT OCCUR UNTIL WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON OVER THE SOUTHERN PENNYRILE REGION OF WESTERN KENTUCKY. THE SNOW WILL THEN TAPER OFF FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

* MAIN IMPACT: BY EARLY THURSDAY MORNING...SNOWFALL TOTALS ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM 2 TO 5 INCHES ALONG THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UP TO 6 TO 8 INCHES SOUTHEAST OF A LINE FROM PETERSBURG INDIANA TO CARBONDALE ILLINOIS TO POPLAR BLUFF MISSOURI. LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE LIKELY WHERE SNOW BANDING OCCURS. AS MUCH AS ONE INCH OF SLEET MAY FALL PRIOR TO THE SNOW...PARTICULARLY ACROSS WESTERN KENTUCKY AND FAR SOUTHEAST MISSOURI.

* OTHER IMPACTS: THIS MUCH SNOW AND SLEET WILL CAUSE SIGNIFICANT TRAVEL ISSUES ACROSS THE REGION. ISOLATED POWER OUTAGES WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. MAKE PREPARATIONS NOW FOR THIS UPCOMING WINTER STORM. STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES AND THE PROBABLE UPGRADE TO A WINTER STORM WARNING LATER TODAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANTSNOW...SLEET...OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT WOULD GREATLY IMPACTTRAVEL. STAY TUNED FOR LATER STATEMENTS. THIS WATCH WILL BEUPGRADED TO A WARNING IF WINTER STORM CONDITIONS BECOME MORECERTAIN.

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Providing "weather, water cycle, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, adjacent waters and ocean areas, for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy."